I Saw Santa!
by River Eagle
Summary: Gordon stays awake one Christmas Eve to see something he shouldn't.  Songfic
1. I saw Santa!

_**Based on "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" song. First songfic.**_

Six-year-old Gordon Cooper Tracy struggled to keep his eyes open. He wanted to wait up for Santa. It was Christmas Eve and the copper-headed Tracy boy may have been the most excitable child his parents had ever met. Not that Jeff and Lucy were debating their four other sons weren't excited. Little Alan Shepard wasn't even two yet and already he knew what Christmas was all about. But every year, they had to erect promises from each of the older children to stay in bed. Otherwise Santa wouldn't come.

Lucy smiled to herself as she checked on eleven-year-old Scott Carpenter, her first born. He'd informed her a few days before that he no longer believed in Santa and hadn't for the past year or so but knew he'd have to keep up the ruse for his younger brothers. Ten-year-old John Glenn had also informed her that Santa was for babies. She'd gently told them that although they may not believe in Santa, Virgil, Gordon and Alan certainly did and she asked them not to spoil Christmas for them. Both older boys agreed.

All three of her oldest sons were sound asleep but when she checked on Gordon, she found him struggling to stay awake. "Honey, what are you still doing awake?"

"Mommy, when is Santa coming?"

Lucy laughed. "If you're a good boy, when you go to sleep." She leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead. "I love you, my little miracle. Now go to sleep."

The mother stood and moved to the door. "Love you, mommy."

Lucy was sure Gordon fell asleep not long after she pulled his door almost closed. She knew her younger sons had nightmares and sometimes would join her and Jeff in the master bedroom. She had one final child to check on and wasn't surprised to find Alan asleep with half his covers kicked off. It didn't take her long to get them straighten out over her youngest son. She brushed his blond hair away from his face and smiled. Once she had checked on all five children, she made her way downstairs. Once there, she allowed herself to grin when she saw Jeff dressed up in his Santa Suit. It was nearing 9:30 and both parents knew their children would be up at some unearthly hour in the morning. He was busy organising the last of the gifts under the tree and was about to make his way to the stockings. She giggled and Jeff looked over his shoulder at her.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked her.

"Nothing, Love."

"The boys asleep?"

"Gordon was trying to catch you, I guess. He was still awake five minutes ago." She moved fully into the room. "Do you want the milk or the cookies?"

Jeff turned around to look at the plate of cookies and carrot sticks with the glass of milk. He'd just placed the last gift (for Gordon) under the tree. "Cookies. Every time," he said with a smirk. To emphasise his point, he swiped the two cookies off the plate as he walked by to the fire place. Each year, the two of them decided to put two small gifts and a treat in the boy's stockings. These were allowed to be opened before breakfast but while everyone was present. That was a rule in their household. Christmas was a family time, no exceptions.

It didn't take the two of them to finish assigning gifts and finishing off the milk and carrot sticks. As Lucy placed the glass of milk down, she looked up. The couple were standing together on the hearth. Right underneath the mistletoe Lucy had hung earlier that day. She giggled. Jeff frowned at her and asked, "What is funny?" In reply, she pointed up. Jeff followed her indication and joined her laughter. "Who am I to break tradition?" He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her hips. "May I have this kiss, milady?"

"Of course." She was smiling as their lips met in a tender kiss.

He murmured, "I love you." He had a sudden inspiration. The radio was still playing softly in the background so he decided that the two of them had to have one dance before they retired for the night. She was laughing softly at his antics. Oh how she loved this man. Reaching up, she ticked him under his chin. He pulled away slightly and laughed. "Stop that!"

She giggled again and allowed him to lead her through the final steps of the song before calling it a night. The children slept upstairs while the master suite was on the ground floor. They made their way into their room and Lucy helped Jeff out of the Santa suit. They hid it away at the back of their wardrobe for the following year.

**TB TB TB**

Gordon woke unusually late for him. He was usually up with the sun, or at least up at 6am. On Christmas, he was generally up at 5. This particular morning, despite it being Christmas, saw him wake a half hour later than his usual time. The older boys were just getting up themselves. Scott had not long left the early morning rising behind and his parents struggled to get him out of bed before 7:30 on a school day. Christmas was another story, however. Every Tracy son knew that the sooner they were up, the sooner they could have presents. As long as it wasn't some unearthly hour before 6 am. Jeff and Lucy had heard their children move around upstairs and as a rule, let them come down stairs before they had gotten dressed. The parents knew it wouldn't be long before Scott led the procession into their room with stockings.

Sure enough, it was five minutes later when the first of their sons (little Alan carrying a too large stocking) came into the room. The last into the room was their second youngest, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Scott and John had brought in Jeff and Lucy's stockings.

"Merry Christmas, everyone," Lucy said.

"Merry Christmas, Mom. Merry Christmas, Dad," Scott said. The other boys soon joined in and then they looked expectantly at Jeff. Jeff raised an eyebrow and took out his first gift. It was a small wooden frame that had seven photos in it. One each of the boys and the centre one was of him and Lucy.

"Thank you," he mouthed at Lucy. She was next to open a gift - a small pendant 'L'. Under the covers, she found her husband's hand and squeezed it. The boys then dug into their presents. Once their parents had opened their one present in their stocking, the boys were allowed to open their own.

Gordon finished opening his first - he'd gotten two matchbox cars and a simple book on fish - and he was looking inquisitively at his mother. He couldn't understand what he'd seen last night. "Mommy," he began. After she'd left him last night, he'd waited for two whole minutes and then crept from his room. He saw Lucy head down stairs and there was Santa! He'd been very careful not to be seen.

"Yes, honey?"

"Why were you kissing Santa last night?"

Scott and John's eyes widened. Then they started giggling. Both thought they knew who Gordon was talking about as they'd seen their parents acting all lovey dovey before. Virgil turned to look at his younger brother and asked, "You saw Santa come last night?" Gordon vigorously nodded his head, his attention still on his parents. Alan didn't really comprehend the question and continued playing with the wrapping paper (which was far more interesting than the cars he'd gotten).

Jeff covered his snort and shot his wife a playful glare. "You were kissing Santa?"

"It was under the mistletoe!" she protested. She turned back to her second youngest, who was waiting patiently for an answer. "I'll explain when you're a little older. And why where you out of bed, young man?"

Gordon gulped, immediately forgetting his curiosity over why he'd seen his mother kiss Santa. He knew he was in trouble for sneaking out of bed. "I wanted to see if Santa really came!"

"And what did I say about him coming?"

Gordon thought back and whispered, "You said if I was a good boy and went to sleep, he'd come."

Lucy was smiling slightly at her next question. "And were you a good boy?" The young boy shook his head in reply. "I think I can dispute that, son. Go have a look under the Christmas tree." Gordon's eyes widened and he made a dash to the living area. The rest of the family followed.

"Presents!

Jeff wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed the top of her head. "Next year, we'll have to be more careful."

They watched as Scott organised the boys and told them they would have to wait until after breakfast to see what else Santa had brought for them. Lucy laughed and nodded. Life was good.

_It was two years later that things drastically chanced for the Tracy Boys. After that, none of the boys ever managed to find Jeff Tracy's Santa Suit, or even see their father wear it. Scott was the one who played 'Santa' for his younger brothers, and by then, it was only five-year-old Alan who still believed in Santa. Gordon stopped believing in magic when he didn't receive his wish: to have Lucy alive again._


	2. Epilogue

**_Just an added epilogue..._**

_18 years later..._

Jeff took one look around the living area of the villa. All but one of his sons were lounging around engrossed in their own gifts that Christmas that they hadn't noticed Gordon slip off. The patriarch sighed and moved to the sliding doors to look out over the pool area and down to the Pacific Ocean. He'd bought the island not long after Lucy had died and it had been a year later that he and his sons moved to live there. Little Alan (who wasn't so little anymore) didn't really remember much different than the island being home. Jeff's youngest had only been five and a half when they arrived on the island to live. Lucy had died not long after the boy's fourth birthday.

It wasn't long before Jeff spotted Gordon on the balcony, looking out to the west. Jeff decided to join his second youngest on the balcony.

"Hello, son," the father said in way of greeting and he joined the copper-head in leaning on the railing. Gordon turned slightly to take in his father.

"Dad, do you still have that Santa outfit?"

Jeff chuckled slightly. "I haven't worn that thing in a long time. A long time." The 24-year-old looked pensive and the father frowned. "What brought this on?"

"Every year, it's the same blimmin thing. 'Gordon, could you sing us that song?' Or, 'Did you really see Mommy kissing Santa Claus?' " He looked down at his hands. "I realise now that it was you in the suit so I can see why it's funny but the joke's getting old." The boy - for in Jeff's mind all his sons were still his boys - looked at him with a haunted expression. "Don't they realise how much I hate Christmas?"

That was the first time Jeff had heard his son admit that. Sure, he had gotten the impression that his second youngest didn't like the Christmas period, but to hear the boy admit it was another thing. It wasn't like Gordon to admit he hated anything. And he'd stopped his feelings from affecting everyone else.

"Why?" Jeff asked softly.

"Because Santa never gave me my wish."

Jeff realised then that Lucy's death still affected Gordon's ability to enjoy family time. Although he was one to talk. Yet, he couldn't go so far as saying he hated Christmas because he could cling to the fact he still had his sons. The father sighed. "Maybe he didn't in the way you wanted." He thought back over the time he had had with Lucy and gave a short laugh. "Did you know that every year, on Christmas Eve, your mother would go out and get some mistletoe? She'd hang it up after you boys were asleep. Then, on Christmas, she'd corner me under it. Sometimes, it was in the most obvious places, like in the doorway of our bedroom, or the doorway to the lounge."

Gordon frowned and turned fully to face his father. He was looking at the older man in profile. "Then what happened?"

"We'd laugh and I'd kiss her. That year you caught us was the first year we'd been under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve. Both of us thought you were asleep. When she pointed out the mistletoe, I couldn't break tradition, albeit one we made special to us." Jeff reached up and wiped his eyes. "I miss her."

Gordon cleared his throat and turned back out to sea. "Thanks Dad." Maybe he didn't need to hate Christmas so much anymore. Maybe, if he opened up to his father a bit more, it could help. Besides, who else would understand? Gordon smiled. Maybe his Christmas wish from all those years before wasn't wasted. Maybe his dad was correct. His mother was gone but still lived on in their memories. "Mom said she'd explain why she was kissing Santa when I was older. Maybe she just did?"

Jeff looked at his son with raised eyebrows. His lips twitched upward. "Perhaps she did."

The two of them looked at each other and began to laugh, drawing the attention of the other four boys.

"What's happening?" Virgil asked.

"I know why Mom kissed Santa now."

Scott and John shared a look and the oldest son asked, "You just figure that out now, copper top?"

"And I'm not telling you the full reason."

"You mean like, it wasn't Santa but Dad in the suit?" John teased. Gordon glared at the 28-year-old. Alan, at 20, laughed at Gordon's mock glare.

"Yes, it was Dad. In the beard. Under the mistletoe. With Mom. On Christmas Eve." Gordon smirked at the puzzled looks being sent his way by his brothers. They were trying to work out what the 24-year-old meant. Jeff watched his second youngest walked back inside. He gave a hearty laugh and joined his son inside while his other four sons looked speechless outside. None of them could remember either Jeff or Gordon enjoying Christmas so much before since Lucy had died.

"What just happened?" Virgil, at 26, asked. He got shrugs in response.


End file.
